1. Field of the Invention:
The invention relates to a device for coupling a ferrying means, such as a gondola or chair, to the hoisting or load cable of a cableway system, comprising a clamping body provided with rollers that has a rigidly secured first clamping jaw and a second clamping jaw that can be swiveled relative to the first clamping jaw. The second clamping jaw is disposed on one end of a two-armed clamping lever on whose other end a control element, in particular a cam roller, is provided that cooperates with a cam rail, as a result of which the clamping lever is pivoted relative to the clamping body counter to the action of at least one torsion spring. That pivoting causes the second clamping jaw to reach its open position.
2. Description of the Related Art:
Swiss Patent No. 544 678 discloses a cable clamp which has a spring in the form of a torsion rod coupled to one of the clamping jaws via a toothed gearing. Known cable clamps of this kind that are embodied with torsion springs or helical compression springs are disadvantageous, however, because they do not completely meet the technical requirements.
This is because cable wear or stretching of the cable causes changes in the cable diameter, and it is then necessary for the movable clamping jaw to be pivoted towards the rigid clamping jaw. However, this reduces the clamping force substantially, and hence the requisite pulloff force of the clamp is no longer assured.